Method and installation for embarking and disembarking airplane passengers

ABSTRACT

Method for embarking and disembarking airplane passengers, characterized in that the passengers are received in an embarking-disembarking room of the departure terminal and placed on a mobile platform mounted on a raceway. The platform has a tier equipped with seats and a tier with baggage compartments. The platform is then transferred into an airplane fuselage connected to an access opening and equipped with another raceway to move and secure the platform in position. During the passenger disembarking phase, the platform is transferred with its occupants into an embarking-disembarking room of the arrival terminal where the passengers disembark. The mobile platform is released and then led into a first cleaning cabin while another platform previously cleaned in a second cleaning room is led into the embarking-disembarking room to embark new passengers.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO AN APPENDIX SUBMITTED ON COMPACT DISC

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention concerns a method and installation for embarking and disembarking airplane passengers, together with their baggage, if any.

2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98.

The present invention also aims at reducing the downtime of aircrafts by increasing rotation frequency, especially for shuttle aircrafts.

According to the invention, the goal is achieved by using an embarking and disembarking method under which the passengers and their baggage, if any, are gathered in an embarking-disembarking room of the departure terminal and placed on at least one mobile assembly or platform mounted on a raceway. The raceway comprises a tier or level equipped with seats and a tier or level comprising baggage racks and/or compartments. This mobile assembly is then transferred into the fuselage of an airplane connected to an opening of the room and equipped with a raceway for the displacement of the assembly and locking devices to secure it in position. During the passenger disembarking phase, the assembly is transferred with its occupants into an embarking-disembarking room of the arrival terminal, similar to the departure terminal where the passengers are disembarked together with their baggage, if any. The mobile assembly or platform is then led, for example, through a switch, into a first cleaning cabin located close to the embarking-disembarking room while an assembly or platform, previously cleaned in a second cleaning cabin and kept ready to use, is led into the embarking-disembarking room, for example, through said switch, to embark new passengers.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The installation under the invention comprises:

-   -   mobile assemblies or platforms, each comprising a tier or level         equipped with seats and a tier or level comprising baggage racks         or compartments;     -   one ground infrastructure or installation comprising:         -   at least one embarking-disembarking room comprising an             access opening made to allow for the connecting of said room             to an airplane fuselage transfer door;         -   two cleaning cabins located close to the             embarking-disembarking room and capable of receiving each at             least one mobile assembly or platform; and         -   a raceway to connect, on one hand, the             embarking-disembarking room to the cabin of an airplane,             and, on the other hand, said embarking-disembarking room to             every cleaning cabin, for example, through a switch and two             branches; and     -   an airplane fuselage design comprising:         -   a raceway installed on the floor of said fuselage and on             which at least one mobile assembly or platform to receive             passengers and baggage can run; and         -   locking means to secure said passenger or baggage receiving             assembly or platform in position in the fuselage.

The method and installation of the invention offer many advantages in addition to the significant reduction of time usually devoted to the embarking and disembarking of passengers and their baggage.

More specifically, the present invention permits:

-   -   better conditions for passenger embarking and disembarking,         after entering the embarking-disembarking room, the latter can         embark onto the mobile platform brought to the embarking area,         through several accesses, for example 8 to 12 different         accesses; therefore, there is no congestion on this platform;     -   elimination of lost baggage resulting from the fact that the         baggage embarking and control are carried out by the passengers         themselves;     -   lower operating costs due to the absence of use of baggage         handling personnel, both in the air terminal and on the runway;     -   better cleaning of the spaces and equipment designed to receive         passengers (seats, baggage compartments, aisles, etc.); indeed,         it is not the cleaning team that comes into the aircraft cab         interior, but on the contrary it is the platform that is led to         the cleaning cabin equipped with fixed and performing cleaning         apparatuses and machines, which produces a significant gain of         time, quality, materials, movements and controls; and     -   better conditions for meeting the needs of the passengers who         may select the composition of their tray meals, for example from         kitchen or sales outlets set up in the embarking area reserved         for the parking of the platform waiting to be loaded with         passengers.

The goals, characteristics and advantages above-mentioned and others will become clearer from the description below and from the attached drawing in which the only Figure is a schematic view showing an interesting example, without being limited thereto, of embodiment of the method and installation under the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Under the example of FIG. 1, the installation comprises:

-   -   mobile assemblies or platforms 1A, 1B, each comprising a tier or         level equipped with seats and a tier or level equipped with         baggage racks or compartments;     -   a ground infrastructure or installation comprising:         -   at least one embarking-disembarking room 2;         -   two cleaning cabins 3A and 3B located close to said             embarking-disembarking room and capable of receiving each at             least one mobile assembly or platform 1A, 1B; and         -   a raceway 4 connecting, on one hand, the             embarking-disembarking room 2 with an access door 2 a to the             airplane fuselage 5; and, on the other hand, said             embarking-disembarking room 2 to every cleaning cabin 3A,             3B, for example, through a switch 6 and two branches, 4A,             4B; and     -   an airplane fuselage 5 comprising:         -   a transfer door 5 a provided at one end of the fuselage,             preferably at its rear end;         -   one or more raceways 5 b installed on the floor of said             fuselage and on which the mobile assemblies or platforms 1A,             1B can run;         -   well-known locking means permitting to secure said             assemblies or platforms at the intended locations in the             fuselage; and         -   a motorized apparatus providing for the displacements of             these assemblies or platforms on the ground and/or inside             the airplane.

The platforms 1A, 1B, can be achieved using any suitable materials and techniques. They comprise, for example, a metal structure bearing a floor onto which seats are attached, that are arranged in rows separated or not by aisles. Preferably, the seats are provided in the upper tier and the baggage racks or compartments in the lower tier of the platforms, as it exists in some buses. However, a reverse arrangement is also possible.

The mobile platforms 1A, 1B, are equipped with running gear, for example, flanged or grooved wheels permitting the displacement of said platforms on tracks or other suitable raceways.

Laterally, the mobile platforms can be equipped with a retractable protection system, consisting, for example, of a screen net that can be spread out on the sides of the right and left extreme seat alignments so as to protect the occupants of those seats, psychologically and against accidents when the platform full of passengers moves into the airplane before stopping and locking in the fuselage of said airplane.

The embarking area reserved for parking the platform 1A ready for the seating of the passengers and the storage of the baggage can be provided in the center with an empty space enabling the passengers authorized to enter this space to stroll about, for example, between two rest and food service areas 7A, 7B, such as restaurant bars.

The cleaning cabins 3A and 3B are located close to the embarking-disembarking room 2 and each one is connected to the latter through a raceway 4, preferably via a switch 6.

Each cleaning cabin 3A and 3B is equipped with machines and apparatuses necessary for cleaning the platforms and their equipment (carpet, seats, etc.), such as vacuum cleaners, disinfectant spray dispensers, etc., for which the tubing comes down, for example, from the ceiling of said cabins. Disinfecting can be done in a tunnel.

The raceway 4 and its branches 4A, 4B connect the embarking-disembarking room 2 to the cleaning cabins 3A, 3B and the embarking-disembarking room with an access door 2 b to the airplane fuselage 5. The raceway equipping the floor of said fuselage can consist of tracks.

The displacements of the mobile platforms 1A, 1B, can be achieved through any suitable apparatus or machine, such as cable and winch systems, push or pull locomotive machinery, etc.

In addition, the securing of the platform in the airplane fuselage can be achieved through any suitable locking devices allowing for a strong and safe tie-down of said platform. O

In the drawing, references 8A and 8B designate boarding points while references 9A and 9B designate access tunnels to the embarking-disembarking room 2.

One example of an embodiment of the embarking-disembarking method and installation under the invention is described below.

The arriving airplane parks, standing very close to the airport embarking terminal and perpendicular to said terminal, and its transfer door 5 a is connected to the access door 2 a of the embarking-disembarking room 2 so that the tracks of the airplane raceway are placed continuous with the tracks of the raceway of said room.

The platform 1A full with arriving passengers and their baggage is transferred with said passengers and baggage into the embarking-disembarking room 2 and secured on the intended area using any suitable locking devices.

The passengers leave the platform 1A, take their baggage that they can place in baggage carts and leave the air terminal.

The platform 1A is then led into one of the cleaning cabins (cabin 3A in the example shown) to be cleaned and disinfected, using the raceway 4, the switch 6 and branch 4A.

A platform 1B previously cleaned in the other cleaning cabin 3B is waiting to be used in said cabin. This platform is moved to the embarking area of the embarking-disembarking room 2, using the branch 4B, switch 6 and raceway 4, then solidly tied down on the parking area.

The departing passengers present in the embarking-disembarking room 2 can then take their seats on the mobile platform 1B after having stored their baggage in the baggage compartments. To speed up this embarking process, several accesses to the platform can be provided, for example, five accesses on the left and five accesses on the right of said platform, such accesses being then for example indicated with a number on the boarding pass.

With this embarking method, the passengers go through the check-in offices and control stations with their hand baggage and other baggage carried in baggage carts. At the exit of the control stations or tunnels, the baggage is put back in the carts, then stored in the baggage racks or compartments by the passengers themselves.

The baggage racks or compartments are preferably arranged at the lower level or tier of the mobile platforms that may be elevated in relation to the embarking area floor when they are parked on the latter.

In that case, gangways can be provided (for example with 4 to 5 steps) on each side of the parked platform for each access to the upper tier or deck of the latter.

The portion of the airplane equipped with a transfer door 5 a can be articulated in order to facilitate the connection of transfer doors 5 a and access doors 2 a.

The airplanes equipped to receive and unload a mobile platform 1A or 1B under the invention can be designed so as to permit a drop of said platform during flight in case of an event with catastrophic consequences (failure or loss of engine, etc.). In that case, suitable means can be provided to detach the rear part of the airplane fuselage. In addition, suitable means can be implemented to ensure ejection of the unlocked platform and of its occupants out of the airplane fuselage, said platform being equipped with a parachute or well-known similar equipment, permitting first to slow down the ejection speed of the platform when exiting the fuselage, and second to slow down the descent speed of said platform through adequate repositioning of said parachute above the latter. Laterally the platform could be equipped with stabilizers. 

1. Method for embarking and disembarking airplane passengers, said method comprising the steps of: receiving passengers and baggage in an embarking-disembarking room of a departure terminal, the room being installed on at least one mobile assembly mounted on a first raceway, the mobile assembly comprising a tier or level equipped with seats and a tier or level comprising baggage racks and/or compartments; transferring the mobile assembly into an airplane fuselage connected to an access opening of the room and equipped with a second raceway to move the assembly and with a locking means to secure the assembly in position; transferring the assembly together with occupants therein into an embarking-disembarking room of an arrival terminal, during a passenger disembarking phase, the passengers disembarkin together with baggage, if any; and leading the mobile assembly through a switch into a first cleaning cabin located close to the embarking-disembarking room while another assembly previously cleaned in a second cleaning cabin is led into the embarking-disembarking room, through a switch for embarking new passengers.
 2. Installation for embarking and disembarking airplane passengers, said installation comprising: a plurality of mobile assemblies comprising a tier or level equipped with seats and a tier or level equipped with baggage racks or compartments; and a ground infrastructure comprising: at least one embarking-disembarking room comprising one access opening permitting connection of the room to an airplane fuselage; two cleaning cabins located close to said embarking-disembarking room and receiving each at least one mobile assembly; a first raceway connecting said embarking-disembarking room to a transfer door of said airplane fuselage and connecting said embarking-disembarking room to each of said cleaning cabins via a switch and two branches. wherein said airplane fuselage comprises: a second raceway installed on a floor of said airplane fuselage and running said at least one mobile assembly or platform for receiving passengers and baggage; and a locking means to secure an assembly in position in the fuselage.
 3. Installation for embarking and disembarking airplane passengers according to claim 2, wherein a mobile assembly has passenger seats installed at an upper tier or level, while the baggage racks or compartments are provided at a lower tier or level.
 4. Installation for embarking and disembarking airplane passengers according to claim 2, wherein the raceways are comprised of tracks, the assemblies being equipped with wheels.
 5. Installation for embarking and disembarking passengers, according to claim 2, further comprising: a motorized apparatus the attached to the mobile assemblies for movement along ground to and from airplanes. 